Summer vacation in Italy? That's music to everbody's ears - no matter what type of tunes you like to listen to. From sacred music to jive, from Puccini to Diana Krall, There's a wonderful range of summer music festivals scheduled across Italy catering to all tastes and budgets. Here's a look at just a few of the many....read more

Los Angeles is definitely known for its foodie scene. While not every restaurant in the city is “family friendly,” there are definitely some that welcome young diners. Here are my top five recommendations for kid-friendly restaurants in the City of Angels....read more

I was on my way to Chicago and began to wonder about the parking at my hotel. A quick search had my mouth dropping in wonder. I quickly found out that the hotel’s parking cost nearly $50 for self-parking and almost $60 for valet. When you factor in staying three nights, the parking amenities would end up costing nearly the price of my stay. Especially in big cities, hotel amenities that are free or affordable can be hard to come by for the traveler. You need to look for ways to cut back the sting of those big-ticket items. From parking to Internet, here are a few areas that you can research before you check-in to avoid just accepting the hotel’s budget breaking amenities....read more

I was just like other travelers before me as I stood under the Arch in St. Louis. I am in the Gateway to the West not for any particular reason, other than toasted ravioli tasting. The stomach filling and diet-breaking dish was reportedly born out of the Italian neighborhood southwest of the city. Ravioli can just be ravioli, but in St. Louis it is fried up like a fluffed up pillow and served as an appetizer, even if that palette starter is heartier than the main course. In order to understand this quintessential St. Louis food, you must do as I did, go taste it at some of the supposed best restaurants for toasted ravioli. Here are three tastings of toasted ravioli in St. Louis that are sure to leave stomachs bursting and taste buds satisfied....read more

Norway’s capital city of Oslo is one of the most kid-friendly destinations in Europe. Here are some ideas for great ways to spend time as a family (and learn about Norwegian culture and history) in this vibrant and cosmopolitan city....read more